Adjustable chair or the like



Aug. 30, 1949. H. R. ROSS 2,480,773

ADJUSTABLE" CHAIR OR THE LIKE Filed Nov. 18, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet l NVENTOR. j/oZZw 0635', B

Aug. 30, 1949. H. R.-ROSS 2,480,773

ADJUSTABLE CHAIR OR THE LIKE Filed Nov. 18, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ,Fw's, B

Aug. 30, 1949. H. R. Ross I 2,480,773

' ADJUSTABLE CHAIR OR THE LIKE Filed Nov. 18, 1946 :s Shets-Sheet s IN VEN TOR.

Patented Aug. 30, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUS A L CHAIR QB, T E I Hollis. R. Ross, Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to Barcalov Manufacturing Company; Buffalo, N. Y.

App icati n No ember 8, ,6, Serial No- 10 671;

2 Claims. 1.

This invention relates to improvements in chairs or analogous seats, loungettes or the like and has for one ofits objects to provide an improved chair or analogous seat having a hinged or pivoted backwhich can be readily adjusted to adapt it to support the occupant in a comportable sitting position or difierentdesired more or less recliningpositions.

Other objects of; the invention, are to provide a chair or the like which enables, the user, while occupying the chair, to easily adjust theback to suit different desired sitting or more or less reclining positions; in which a person while occupying the chaircan readily'swing the back rearwardly to different desired inclined adj ust-, ments simply by operatingaback-releasing hane dle or device and-leaning or pressingrearwardly against the back until it reaches the desired position, and then secure the back in such reclining position simply by releasing the operating handle or device; in which the back is readily movable to and releasably heldin different more or less rearwardly inclined positions. by holding means of novel construction; in which the back holding means are also readily operable to enable the back to be folded forwardly over theseat for collapsing the chair to compact condition. for transporting or storing purposes; also to provide a chair or the likeof simple and inexpensive, novel construction having a back which is adjusts able to different desired positions for use, and is also adapted to be folded forwardly over the seat for collapsing the chair.

Additional objects of the invention are to. provide such an adjustable. chair or the like which is equippedwith a foot rest and meanswhereby the simple act of adjustin the back to different desired positions effects appropriate adjustments of the foot rest, or the back can be adjusted to different positions independently of the foot rest; in which novel meansfor. holding the back in different adjusted positions. is. readily operable, either to cause simultaneous appropriate adjustments of thefoot rest, or to permit: the back to be adjusted independently of: or without adjusting operation of the foot rest; andin whichthe means for holding the-back and'foot restin different adjusted positionsis also operable to permit the folding of the back toward the seat for collapsing the chair.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following specification of the preferred embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, and the its lower portion 2: novelfeatures of theinventionare set forth in the appended claims.

In said drawings:

F 1 is a side-elevation'of one embodiment of the invention illustrating an adjustable chair in a form adapting it for-use, for example, as a sun tan cot or loungette. v

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. 7

Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof showing the back and rear legs orsupport foldedforwardly for collapsing the chair. e

Fig. 4 is an elevation; partly: in vertical section, of the backholding means showing the position of its parts when the'back is folded down upon the seat as shown in-Fig. 3. a

Fig. 5 is a similar-view but/showing the position of the parts, with the'back in the position shown in Fig. 1, in which it is inclined rearwardly somewhat from it's-foremost operative position suitable for a sitting-position of the occupant.

Fig. 6 is a transversfs'ectional elevation thereof'on line 6"6;Fig.5. f V

Fig. 7 is a side elevation-of a'slightly modified embodiment of the invention showing; a' chair having the features employed'in the Figs. 1-6 embodimentbut equipped also with an adjustable foot rest.

Fig. 8 is asectional plan view thereof on line 8-8, Fig 7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the front portion of the chair showing a, raised position of the foot rest.

Fig. 10 is an opposite side elevational view thereof but showing he position of the parts when the chair back is adjusted rearwardly independently of the foot rest.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention shown in'Figs. 1-6, the chair as illustrated in these figures comprises a seat II and a back l2 which is suitably hinged or pivoted at at I 3 to the rear portion of the seat to adapt the back to swing forwardly and rearwardly relatively to the seat. The seat and back structures may be. of any suitable form or construction, and since this invention is not concerned with the particular construction of these elements, the drawings show only" the skeleton frames thereof, it being understood that the seat frame is provided with a bottom structure and the back frame with a back rest structure of any suitable type. As shown, theseat frame comprises opposite side bars I which, if desired, may be of tubular formatio rigidly connected at their front intermediate and rear portions by cross bars or tubes [5," l6 and II. The sidebars of the seat frame shown are of substantially shape, having downturned front portions l8 adapted to rest on the floor and form the front legs or supports of the chair, and upwardly and forwardly turned rear portions which form arm rests |9 at opposite sides of the chair. The reai supports or legs of the chair are shown as formed by a U-shaped frame comprising a cross bar or tube 20 and rigidly connected side bars or tubes 2| which normally extend upwardly and forwardly from the cross bar and are pivoted at their upper ends to the side bars of the seat frame, and are adapted to bear upwardly against fixed stops or studs 22 on the seat side bars Hi. This rear support may have wheels 23 suitably journalled thereon at opposite sides of its rear end and adapted to rest on the floor to support the chair at its rear end. The rear support is adapted to be folded forwardly, as indicated in Fig. 3, for collapsing the chair. The seat frame and its front and rear supports or legs can be of any other suitable construction.

The chair back frame shown is made of a tube bent into substantially inverted U-form with side bars 24 hinged by suitable pivots at l3 to the seat side bars, the lower ends of the side bars 24 of the back frame preferably extending below their pivotal connections IS with the seat frame.

The back is releasably held in a substantially upright position, or in different more or less rearwardly inclined positions, so as to provide a back support for the occupant of the chair when sitting upright or occupying different more or less reclining positions, by a holding member 25 which is connected to the back and extends forwardly therefrom and cooperates with a holding pawl or device 25 for holding the back against rearward movement in any of its said several positions of operative adjustment. The holding member 25 may consist of a bar bent to form a forwardly and rearwardly extending double or U-shaped portion 21 and outwardly diverging rear arms 28 which are pivoted to the side bars of the back frame below their pivotal connections to the seat frame, with the double portion of the holding member movable forwardly and rearwardly through a guide hole 30 in a stationary guide bracket or member 3| which may beri idly attached to the intermediate cross barifi of the seat frame. The holding pawlor device 26 may be pivotally mounted on the bracket 3|, as by an operating rod or shaft 32 passing through and adapted to turn in bearing holes in the spaced side walls of the bracket, with the free end of the pawl adapted to engageratchet teeth 33 formed on the upper edge of the double portion of the holding member, the pawl being normally held in enga ement with the toothed edge of the holding member 25, as by a suitable spring 34 connected to the pawl and to its supporting bracket 3|. The arrangement of the pawl 26 is such that when held by its spring in engagement with one or another tooth of the holding member 25, it will hold said member against forward movement and thus hold the chair back from rearward movement in whatever position it may be adjusted to, depending upon the tooth with which the pawl engages, thereby holding the back in an upright ormore or less rearwardly inclined positions. But a person, while occupying the chair, can readily move the back rearwardly to a desired less or greater rearward inclination by simply disengaging the pawl from the ratchet teeth and leaning or pressing rearwardly against the back until the back reaches the desired inclination, when, by releasing the pawl, it will be engaged by its spring with the appropriate tooth of the holding member and hold the back in this position of adjustment. For thus operating the pawl, its shaft 28 may be provided at one end with an operating handle 35 at one side of the chair in convenient reach of the occupant of the chair.

A suitable spring or springs 36 connected at opposite ends to the forward end M of the holding member 25 and the bracket 3| or other fixed part of the chair normally tends to move the holding member 25 rearwardly and return the chair back from a rearwardly inclined position to its upright or foremost operative position, so that when a person reclining in the chair wishes to resume a sitting position, it is only necessary for him to assume the sitting position and the chair back will be automatically moved forwardly, as far as permitted by the position of the occupant, by the spring 36. In its normal holding position the pawl 26 inclines at such an angle relatively to the holding member 25 that-it can ride over the ratchet teeth of the latter and thus permit rearward movement of the holding member and forward return movement of the chair back. Y

The chair back is normally prevented from moving forwardly beyond its foremost operative or upright position (indicated by the broken line position designated |2a in Fig. 1) preferably by engagement of a tooth or notch 31 at the bottom edge of the double portion of the holding member 25 with the bottom edge of the guide hole 30 in the bracket 3|, as shown by the broken lines in Fig. 4, this tooth or notch'being releasably engaged with and retained in holding engagement with the bracket by the springs 36. The tooth or notch 31 preferably has an abrupt or vertical rearwardly facing edge and an inclined forwardly facing front edge so that it operates, when in engagement with the bracket, to positively hold the chair back from swinging or fold.- ing forwardly from its foremost operative or upright position, but will not prevent forward movement of the holding member when adjusting the chair back rearwardly to an inclined position. To permit the back to be folded forwardly over or upon the seat, as shown in Fig. 3, for collapsing the chair. it is only necessary to lift the holding member 25 sufficiently to disengage the tooth or notch 31 from the bracket 3|, thus permitting rearward movement of the holding member 25 and forward folding of the chair back. The holding pawl 25 does not interfere with rearward movement of the holding member 25, since its inclination is such that it can ride over the ratchet teeth on the upper edge of said member in the rearward movement of the latter, either to permit the forward adjustment of the back from a rearwardly inclined to a more or less upright operative position, or to fold the back forwardly over the seat for collapsing the chair.

The modified embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 7-10, is similar in construction and operation to that above described and shown in Figs. 1-6, but, in addition to the features already described, which are designated by like reference numbers in Figs. 7-10, the chair as illustrated in these Figs. L10 is equipped, with an adjustable foot rest 40 and operating means therefor. This foot rest may be of any suitable form or construction, that shown having a U-shaped tubular frame with upwardly extending side arms 4| which are pivoted at their upper see ers ends at 42 toitheoforward? portions of the side bars of. the seat frameto adapt the foot rest to swing upwardly and forwardlyv from the: depend.- ing position shown in Fig. '7, to raised" forwardly extending;"positions,- shown in Fig; 9 and by broken lines in Fig. 7.

Means for adjusting the foot rest, as'illustrated', include a bent oi substantially V-shaped 43" pivotedat its opposite ends to the upper pnrtionsofthe 'side'bars'of the foot rest with its: middle portion adapted to engage a forwardly 'facingshouldendfon'the front end portion of the holdingt'member"25." Preferably the. li'nkris connectedby a'suitable c'oil spring as with "one side bar of the foot rest to normally draw the link toward the foot rest in the lowered normal position of the latter and hold its middle portion in operative contact with the shoulder 44 on the holding member 25. By this arrangement, when the pawl 26 is released and the chair back I2 adjusted rearwardly to a reclining position, the holding member 25 is moved forwardly, and by engagement with the link 43, swings the foot rest upwardly to a position, depending on the extent of rearward inclination of the chair back. Thus, if the occupant of the chair desires to raise the foot rest when adjusting the back to a, rearwardly inclined position, it is only necessary for him to move the pawl operating handle 35 suificiently to release the pawl 25 from the teeth of the holding member and press re'arwardly on the chair back, and the movement of the chair back to a rearwardly inclined position will push the holding member 25 forwardly and automatically raise the foot rest to one or another adjustment, depending upon the amount of rearward inclination of the chair back.

In order to permit the chair back to be adjusted rearwardly independently of the foot rest, or without raising the latter, a releasing rod or member 46 for the foot rest operating link 3 is provided. The releasing rod or member 86 shown is pivoted at its rear end on the holding member 25 and extends forwardly into sliding engagement with the middle portion of the link 43, and the pawl operating shaft 28 is provided with a crank end or arm 41 which extends beneath the releasing rod 46. By turning the operating handle 35 for the pawl forwardly a sufficient amount, the crank arm 4'! will en age and lift rod 45, and thereby lift the link 53 out of engagement with the shoulder 44 of the holding memher. as shown in Fig. 10, thereby permitting the holding member 25 to be moved forwardly in the rearward adjustment of the back, without eneasing the link 43 and raising the foot rest. As shown, the releasing rod 45 is provided with an elongated loop 48 at its front end in which the foot rest link 43 is slidable lengthwise when clear of the shoulder 45 of the holding member, as represented in Fig. 10. This sliding engagement of the link and releasing rod 45 permits the forward movement of the holding member without raising the foot rest, but retains the operating link and foot rest in operative association with the forward portion of the holding member, so that the link will always be in position to operatively engage with the shoulder .14 of the holdin member when it is desired to raise the foot rest by rearward adjustment of the chair back.

When it is desired to raise the foot rest by rearward adjustment of the chair back. the op erating handle 35 for the pawl 25 is moved just sufficiently to disengage the pawl from the cooperating ratchet teeth of the holding member 25,

the releasing 6 and then when the back is moved rearw-ardly; the holding'member 25- will lie-moved forwardly, and by 'eng-algement'withthe-link will raise the foot rest amount depending upon the rearward adjustment of tlle'chairback; If, however, itisdesired toa'djustthe back-rearwardly to any desired inclined position independently of or without raising the fo'ot rest, then the operating handle 3-5 for-thepawl-ismoved far enough, as shown 'in Fig: I-Oyto raise the releasing red at and'lift the operatinglinkfor-the foot rest out of engagement with-theshoulder wforthe holding member 251 The foot rest arranged to beraisedor adjusted upwardly by're'arward movement of the chair back,.as explained, is desirable, since it is easier for a person to get into the chair from a standing position in front of the seat when the foot rest is down. Then, after sitting in the chair, the foot rest can be adjusted to the desired raised position by backward pressure against an appropriate rearward adjustment of the chair back, as before explained.

In this Fig. 7-10 modification, the chair back can be folded forwardly over or upon the seat for collapsing the chair in the same manner as in the construction shown in Figs. 1-6, simply by raising the holding member to disengage the notch 31 in its bottom edge from the guide bracket 3|, to thereby permit the rearward movement of the holding member and forward folding of the chair back.

In both forms of the invention illustrated, the wheeled rear support for the chair is adapted to be swung or folded forwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, when collapsing the chair for transportation or stora e.

I claim:

A chair or the like comprising a seat, a back hinged to the seat and swingable rearwardly relative to the seat, a holding member which is pivoted to a part of the back projecting below the hinged connection of the back with the seat and extends forwardly beneath the seat, means for guiding said holding member in the forward and rearward movement thereof by the swinging of the back, means engageable with said holding member for releasably holding the back from rearward movement in different positions of adjustment thereof, a foot rest hinged to said seat to swing upwardly and forwardly from a depending position, a link connected with said foot rest and engaged by said holding. member for adjusting said foot rest upwardly when said back is adjusted rearwardly, means for operating said holding means for releasing said holding member, and. a link releasing rod pivoted to said holding member and operable by movement of said operating means for disengaging said link from said holding member to permit rearward adjustment of said back independently of upwa'rd adjustment of the foot rest.

2. A chair or the like comprising a seat, a back hinged to the seat and swingable rearwardly relative to the seat, a holding member which is pivoted to a part of the back projecting below the hinged connection of the back with the seat and extends forwardly beneath the seat, means for guiding said holding member in the forward and rearward movement thereof by the swinging of the back, means engageable with said holding member for releasably holding the back from rearward movement in different positions of adjustment thereof, a foot rest hinged to said seat to swing upwardly and forwardly from a depending position, a link pivoted to the upper 7 portion of said foot rest, a spring connecting said link and foot rest and acting to releasably hold said link in engagement with said holding member, whereby rearward adjustment of said back acts to adjust said foot rest upwardly, a handle operable to release said means from holding engagement with said holding member, a re1easing rod pivoted to said. holding member, and means operable by said handle for actuating said releasing rod to disengage said link from said holding member to permit rearward adjustment of said back independently of upward adjustment of said foot rest. 7 HOLLIS R. ROSS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Luckhardt Mar. 10, 1942 

